


But They Aren't Kett

by nerdyholler (katznhund)



Series: Strike Team: Love [2]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Hugs, Making Up, Mass Effect Multiplayer, Pre-Relationship, Prompt Fill, argument
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 16:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10948209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katznhund/pseuds/nerdyholler
Summary: After receiving a report of a kett attack on Voeld, Taavet is filled with anger and frustration at being pulled away from the Resistance to work with APEX. There's an argument with Nora and then an apology. And a hug. Hugs make everything better.Prompt fill for my multiplayer OCs, Taavet the angara insurgent and Nora the human sentinel.





	But They Aren't Kett

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr prompt fill for "I'm sick of feeling useless."

Taavet made the mistake of checking his email while waiting for the rest of the squad to finish their pre-mission prep. There was a message from Voeld, a report about another daar attack by the kett, and a list of those killed or missing was attached. His stomach dropped as he scanned through the names. There were names he recognized but, thankfully, no one who knew well. He looked out at the dry expanse of Eos, where he was stuck, on the other side of the cluster from Voeld.

The soldier knocked on the frame of the door, “Shuttle time, Taavet.”

He closed the screen and tried to focus his thoughts on the upcoming mission. This would have to wait until later.

* * *

The outlaws were getting smarter, or at least putting more fire power into their supply raids. Their attempts were less frequent but more intense, even then, they were still no match for Sierra team. The fight went well but Taavet had to admit he’d been distracted. There was an anger below the surface that he’d hoped would dissipate once the bullets started flying. Instead their sentinel, Nora, was coming over the comms alerting him to enemies trying to surround him because he was too focused on a target or yelling at him to get behind cover when his shields broke.

The ride back to Prodromos was unusually tense. Taavet was frustrated by the way he’d fought, frustrated that he couldn’t control his emotions, and frustrated that nothing he shot was a kett. The rest of the squad sensed it too. Even Nora, who had a tendency to talk when no one else did, was silent in the seat beside him.

When the shuttle landed the turian and the soldier quickly grabbed their gear and headed straight for the showers. Taavet put his gun in the weapons locker and went to his room. With the soldier gone he at least had it to himself for a few minutes. He stripped out of his armor and left it in a pile on the floor. It smelled of sweat and ozone from shattered shields. In the morning there would be bruises and sore muscles, more than normal because of his added recklessness today. 

Taavet sat on the edge of his bed and stretched his shoulders a few times, trying to lessen the tension. Frustration rolled off him. He didn’t join the Resistance to help aliens, he joined to stop the kett. There was a knock on the door, “What?” he asked sharply.

“You all right in there?”

It was Nora. “I’m fine,” his words were short and clipped. He knew she meant well, but sometimes she didn’t know when to leave things alone. 

“Alright,” there was a pause, “it’s just that you seemed a little upset on the ride back. If you want to talk about anything….”

A growl rumbled in his chest as he stood up and threw open the door. “What’s there to talk about? We’re really showing those outlaws and saving your people, meanwhile mine are dying to the kett.” He towered over her and she looked up, eyes wide with just a hint of fear that sent a pang of guilt through him.

Taavet walked past her into the shared living area, pacing and taking a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. He gritted his teeth, “I joined the Resistance to help people, and instead I’m stuck here.”

Nora remained in the doorway of his room, “But we are helping people.”

“Helping your people, perhaps. While we make sure the settlers get their supplies, the kett are killing my people on Voeld. I could be there making a difference. How am I helping them on Eos?” He kicked the leg of a chair, shifting its position a few inches. “Damn Evfra and his trying to play nice with the Initiative.”

“If you hate it so much, then why don’t you leave.” Nora crossed her arms and glared at him, “I’m sure Kandros can send a replacement on the next shuttle.”

“I can’t.” He hung his head sullenly, “Evfra sent me and until he changes his mind, this is my assignment.” 

“Look, Taavet, I don’t care about Evfra.” It was his turn now to be surprised when the normally calm sentinel's voice filled with anger. “I care about making it back to the Nexus and I care about helping these people and if you don’t, I’d rather have someone I know will have my back.”

“I have your back”, he mumbled. “I just wish I could do more to keep my people safe, I’m sick of feeling useless.”

Nora gave him a hard look but didn’t say anything else before going to her own room and closing the door. Taavet went back and gathered his armor, putting it neatly into a corner. It would need to be cleaned and patched later, for now he changed into fresh clothes and left their temporary barracks.

* * *

 

The sun was low in the sky when Taavet returned, having spent several hours sitting alone on the edge of the outpost. He’d watched shuttles coming and going, colonists moving between buildings as they went about their work. He’d tried to keep his eyes from the prefab building that had been his home for the past few weeks. His thoughts wandered to the frozen plains of Voeld, the people here on Eos, Evfra and the Resistance on Aya. They were good people, they hated the kett, and, for better or worse, it seemed they would all be sharing Heleus.

When he walked in the door, Taavet could see Nora standing on the deck beyond. Neither the turian nor the soldier seemed to be around. He slid open the backdoor, “Mind if I join you?”

She looked over her shoulder and shrugged, which he took it as a sign of approval. They stood there together, looking at the cliff face that surrounded the outpost. Fidgeting, Taavet finally asked, “Have you been to Voeld?”

“No, this is my first time off the the Nexus.”

Of course, sometimes he forgot everything was still new for them. “Voeld is a frozen world. Everything’s covered in snow and ice. It’s so cold, the ice and snow never melt. Before the Scourge, it was one of our greatest colonies. There were huge cities once, some you can still see on the surface. Even now a number of angara live there, mostly in small settlements called daar.” He paused, “It was my home.

“The kett also have a base there, where the pathfinder saved the Moshae. They raid our settlements and kill or take our people to be slaves, or worse. This is all I’ve ever known. Yesterday they attacked another daar. The angara civilians have started to fight back when the kett come, so they destroyed it. Most of the people living there were able to get out but many died. I saw the list this morning, families that have been on Voeld for generations.

“And I want to do something” Taavet started talking faster, voice full of passion, “I joined the Resistance because I wanted to stop the kett, I wanted to make sure they didn’t hurt my family. But here I’m so far away, I feel hopeless, like I’m letting them down.”

Nora turned her head towards him, “What would you have done if you were there?”

“Whatever the Resistance asked; gone after the kett, helped survivors.”

“Could you have prevented it?” 

Taavet finally looked down and met her eyes. Her face was earnest, there was genuine concern that his presence would have made a difference. He sighed, “No.”

Nora placed a hand on his arm, “I know it isn’t the same, but you helped people here today. You made a difference in the lives of the people around you.” She rubbed her thumb on his forearm. “Earlier when I told you to tell Kandros if you wanted to leave, it was because I was upset, but now I mean it. If you want to fight kett, talk to him, make a request. I know we have strike teams out there going up against them, this just happened to be the next assignment on the list when you joined.

And for what it’s worth, I know you have my back, hell, you’ve hauled my ass off the deck more times than I like to think about. If you ever need anything, I’ve got yours too. Remember that.”

Taavet put an arm around her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze,  “Thank you, Nora.”

Nora turned and wrapped both her arms around his waist. Caught off guard, it took a second for Taavet to put his around her in return. The tension from everything that day left his body and he relaxed into the embrace.

“I’m sorry about the daar, Taavet, and about what I said earlier.”

“I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have taken out my anger on you. You were only trying to help.”

This was the first time Taavet had hugged a human, he wasn’t sure what the proper protocol was, how tight or how long to hold on, but Nora didn’t pull back, her head pressed against his chest. Taavet rested his cheek on the top of her head and her hair tickled his face in the slight breeze.

Minutes passed before Nora sighed and leaned back, dropping her arms and smiling up at him. “I needed that.”

“I think I did too.” He slowly moved his hands from her shoulders, “Physical contact is common among angara, I have to remind myself your people are more reserved.”

“Reserved or not, sometimes I think everyone just needs a good hug.”

Taavet laughed, “I believe you’re right. Next time, let me know, I’m always available for hugs”

“Same here.” Nora turned to go inside, “But like I said, I’ve got your back, and that’s not just in a fight, that means here too, whatever you need.”

Taavet held the door open for her as she passed through, “I know, and I’m here for you too.” 

* * *

Interested in more about these two? [Send me a prompt!](http://nerdyholler.tumblr.com/tagged/writing%20prompts)


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